1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an elastic wheel capable of enhancing riding comfort and noise-reduction performance, and to a manufacturing method of such an elastic wheel.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to enhance riding comfort and silence degree of a vehicle, there is proposed a vehicular elastic wheel as described for example in JP-A 2003-104001.
As shown in FIG. 21, this elastic wheel includes a rim “a” for supporting a tire, a disk b to be fixed to an axle, and a rubber damper c made of elastic rubber for connecting the rim “a” and the disk b. A gap d is provided between an inner circumference side of the rim “a” and a radially outer portion of the disk b. Therefore, a load variation in the radial direction applied to the elastic wheel is absorbed by shearing deformation of the rubber damper c. Thus, the elastic wheel exhibit high buffering effect with respect to small vibration input from a road, and the riding comfort and noise-reduction performance are largely enhanced. When a load in the direction of the axle is applied to the elastic wheel, a portion of the rubber damper c is compressed and deformed and thus, the rigidity is maintained at high level and steering stability is maintained.
According to the conventional elastic wheel, however, the rubber damper c is fixed, by means of vulcanization adhesion, to the disk b and a mounting bracket e which is integrally provided on the rim “a”. Therefore, much time and labor are required for vulcanization adhesion, and there is a problem that the manufacturing cost is increased and productivity is deteriorated.